Shutter trackway



Patented June E8, @296 unis sra'ra WILLIAM TAYLOR SMITH, 0F BIRMINGHAM,ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR 'I'O HOOKLESS FASTENER, COMPANY, OF MEADVILLE,PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

SHUTTER TRACKWAY.

Application filed. Octoberil, 1928, Serial No. 311,?45, and in GreatBritain October 8,1927.

This invention relates to flexible shutters, blinds, curtains, awnings,motor saloon car roofs and the likeand to fasteners for the same and hasfor its object to devise an improved construction which will enable thesame to be made of textile fabric, leather, rubber or other flexiblematerial while being maintained straight or sufliciently taut to enablethem properly to fulfill their functions and at the same time to bemoved into a suitably formed recess or wound upon rollers, drums orother rotary members when not required in use. i

The invention consists in a fastener for a flexible shutter, blind,curtain, roof or the like comprising a series of jaw or fastener membersmounted upon one or each edge of the shutter or the like; or upon a tapeor the like secured thereto 'and adapted to be held and slidable withinor upon a suitably shaped channel or guide fixed to some convenient partof the structure with which the shutter or the like is to be employed,

The invention also consists in the combination of a piece of fabric,leather, rubber or the like, and a plurality of members fastened alongone or both of the longitudinal edges thereof and having projectionsadapted to slide within or upon a suitably shaped channel or guide.

The invention also consists in a flexible shutter, curtain, blind, roof,or the like fitted with a fastener of the above character.

The invention still further consists in other details and arrangementshereinafter described or indicated.

The accompanying drawings illustrate two modes of carrying out theinvention.

' Figures 1 and 2 are respectively an elevation and plan of oneconvenient form of fas-..

tener member in accordance with the invention.

Figure 3 shows another convenient form of fastener member in accordancewith the invention.

Figure 4: is a fragmentary view showing a motor saloon car roof in partsection with a form of fastener and a method of fixing the same ,inaccordance with the invention.

Figure 5 shows on a smaller scale the complete roof or a motor salooncar fitted with fasteners in accordance with the invention.

Figure ti is a similar view to Figure 4 show= ing a modification inaccordance with the invention.

In carrying my invention into effect in one convenient manner as, forexample, in its application to the roof of a motor saloon car and asillustrated in Figures 1 to 4, I form my improved roof from a strip a oftextile fabric, leather, or other like flexible material of a size andshape de )ending upon the size and shape of the car body I) and uponeach of the longitudinal edges of the flexible strip I secure a numberof jaw or fastener members 0 each of which has a projection (Z thereonof a size and shape to enable the same to be slidable within or upon ametal or other guide or channel 6 (which may be of approximatelykey-hole, T, or other suitable shape in cross-section) fixed by screwsor otherwise to the sides of the car body or any other convenient partof the structure. Each longitudinal edge of the roof material and itscorresponding guide or channel thus form parts of a fastener memberhaving mating or interlocking members and the flexible roof may beadapted to enter a suitable recess or to be wound upon a roller, drum orthe like (not shown) at one end of the car body, when the roof is notrequired in use, the drum being spring-controlled or otherwise suitablyoperated for the purpose of permitting the winding up and unwinding ofthe roof, it being understood that during such operations theprojections d upon the members 0 at the edges of the roof material willbe slidable within or upon the channels or guides e and the proportionsmaybe such that the roofing need never be out of engagement with thechannels or guides when wound around the roller, drum, or other rotarymember provided for the purpose.

The jaw or fastener members 0 may be fixed directly upon the edges ofthe roof material or they may be fitted upon a flexible tape or the like7 which is secured in any suitable manner along the longitudinal edge ofthe roof, or, if desired, the tape and fastener members or projectionsthereon may be formed as a continuous tape of flexible material ofsuitable section.

The channels, guides or fastener members on the framework of the carbody or at the sides of the roof or the like may be allowed to giveunder spring compression or tension thus allowing for any shrinkage ofthe material composing the roof, blind or shutter, and when such springor resilient means are employed I prefer to arrange for thewaterproofing of the joint that will necessarily be formed between thefastener member and the body to which it is yieldingly held. Thus, forexample, in Figure 6 l have shown an arrangement in which the guidemember 0 is under the control of suitable springs g, and beneath thejoint h I provide a drainage channel i adapted to catch any water thatmay leak through the joint or that may pass into the interior of theguide member 6 through drainage openings, as shown in Fig. 6, the troughor channel 1' having one or more outlet passages or openings is throughwhich the water collecting therein may escape. Such waterproofingarrangements may be adopted also to take care of any "water that may getpast the tape at the edge of the blind or the like in thosemodifications of the inventionin which no spring means are provided forcompensating for shrinkage.

Each of the or fastener members 0 may be formed with an enlarged head orprojection of rectangular, circular or other suitable shape incross-section and is split at one edge or otherwise suitably formed toenable it to be clamped upon the edge of the tape, or stringer or upon abeaded or enlarged edge of the same, and the invention is to beconsidered as extending to a tape, stringer, strip or the like of fabricor other flexible material provided with such fasteners independent ofany particular purpose for which such tape or the like is to be used orany curtain, blind, roof or other article to which it is to be securedand either by itself or in combination with a suitable channel or guideadaptedto co-operate with such jaw or fastener members.

The invention may be applied with equal effect and like advantage in thecase of awnings, blinds, shutters and the like, and I may vary the formand construction of mating or interlocking fastener members and thearrangements for taking up the blind or the like when not required inuse depending upon the purpose for which the invention is to be appliedor any practical requirements that may have to be fulfilled.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my saidinvention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare thatwhat I claim is 1. In a closure device of the character described, abody having an opening therein. a guide member resiliently secured tothe body, a flexible closure member, and a plurality of jaws attached tosaid closure member and slidably mounted in said guide member, saidguide member being resiliently secured to allow for the expansion andcontraction of the flexible closure member.

2. In a closure device of the character described, a. body having anopening therein, a guide member, spring mounted bolts for securing saidguide member to said body, a flexible closure member, a plurality ofjaws attached to said closure member and slidably mounted in said guidemember, said guide member being so secured to allow for the expansionand contraction of the flexible clo-

